Detectives of Zootopia 2: Deadly Sins
by CaleMcManus21
Summary: The sequel to the story Detectives of Zootopia. Another serial killer has emerged in Zootopia and he has his sights on certain mammals. And they are mysteriously connected. What are this killer's motives? How are these mammals connected? Is there a pattern he's following? Follow Jake, Carrots, Nick, and Judy as they work together again to solve this case.
1. An Awkward Interrogation

My name is Jake Wilde. I'm a human detective and adoptive brother of Nick Wilde. I have white skin, short brown hair, and green eyes. I wore the same casual outfit as Nick, minus the tie. I also wear white socks, and brown shoes. I'm 25 years old, and I'm as tall as a wolf. I've been living in Zootopia since I was ten, and to this day, I don't know how I ended up here. But according to the stories, humans once lived here in Zootopia before the anthropomorphic mammals came to be, which slightly lowered my worries.

Although it wasn't called Zootopia at that time. It was just called 'The City', or 'This Place'. No real name was given to it. And this was so long ago, it's written in the History books of every school. Aside from the prejudice when I first appeared here, there was a big argument between the citizens whether I was predator or prey, but only 15% of the population of each of the two groups wondered if I was both. I wondered the same thing too. Also, I'm most likely the only human in Zootopia.

Carrots is my partner. She is the same size as me, and is currently the only bunny in Zootopia that's this tall. Some thought she was a rare species of rabbit, young mammals thought she was a victim to a bizarre experiment, which she found hilarious, and my opinion? She probably grew as fast as the bunnies multiply. She looks so much like Judy Hopps, it's almost like she's a tall doppelgänger of her. Her casual attire is basically the same uniform Judy wears except she wears black stockings, and black boots. We both met at Detective Academy, and from that point on, until graduation, we became close friends. And now here we are, working for the ZPD as boyfriend girlfriend. If there's a case that comes up, but the ZPD are extremely focused on a case of their own, Carrots and I solves the recent case. But of course permission to do so must be granted by Chief Bogo. Carrots got her name because apparently, when she was a baby, she would only eat anything carrot related, or things that has carrots in them. Even if there is a dish that requires carrots to be chopped into really small pieces. Also, her parents were a little paranoid that every name in existence was taken given how fast the bunnies multiply. So that's reason 2.

I was leaning against the wall in one of the interrogation rooms at the ZPD waiting patiently whether or not I should have the first word. Now normally, the officers here do the 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' routine. But if there's a culprit to a crime, or even a suspect for that matter too stubborn to answer questions, Chief Bogo devised another routine that he likes to call 'Bring in Sherlock'. He calls it that because he'll call me in to take care of it. Why me? Let me put it this way:

Imagine a culprit to a burglary, or any crime, or a resisting suspect also to a crime sitting in the same room with Sherlock Holmes. Because that's what I am. You see, when mom adopted me, she was so frightened about me being the only human in school, and the bullying, and the prejudice, that she thought it would be a good idea that I self-educated myself by reading Sherlock Hound novels starting with the easy to read ones, and work my way to the ones that can be found in college libraries. And it worked. I've been reading Sherlock Hound for so long, and so many times, that I slowly picked up his abilities. And trust me, picking up his investigative techniques wasn't easy.

Sitting behind the desk paws handcuffed in front of him and muzzled was a wolf. "Well... This must be embarrassing for you" I said with a smile on my face. Through the other side of the glass, Judy, Nick, Carrots, a few officers, and Gazelle were watching.

"What, you're the good cop? Bad cop?" The wolf asked.

"Neither" I answered. "According to the chief, you gave both cops such a hard time, you ended up turning Good Cop, Bad Cop into Two Bad Cops. And that still didn't work." The wolf laughed.

"Yeah that was fun" he said.

"Do you know why you're here?" I asked.

"I don't know" the wolf lied. "I was just wandering around and then you fucking cops just arrested me."

"With good reason. You stalked Gazelle" I answered. "And trust me, you aren't the only stalker I had to deal with."

"No! I didn't stalk Gazelle!" He yelled. "Plus, fans always stalk her" the wolf said calmly with a shrug.

"The last wolf that stalked her also tried to kill her and let's just say that I happened to be around. And it happened a year ago."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"You don't want to make me ticked."

"You're just a human cop. What can you do?" I stared at him for a moment.

"Clearly you don't know me that well so I'm going to clue you in on something" I said, stepping away from the wall. "Tell me the truth, and maybe... Just maybe, your jail time will be short by three years."

"Oh that's bullshit! X amount of years for stalking Gazelle?" The wolf gasped at what he just said.

"Ah, so you do admit to stalking Gazelle" I said with a smile.

"No, no, no! That just came out!" He lied.

"Did it?" I asked with a raised brow.

"You're a goddamn mind reader! You forced me to say it!" The wolf yelled.

"I'm a detective, not a mind reader. But I warned you, make me ticked, and you will see what I can do."

"Fine! You win! I stalked her! I may have admitted something, but you still won't get the full story out of me!"

"Then why are you keeping your thighs clenched?" I asked. "Clearly you don't need the bathroom, otherwise you'd be dancing in your seat. A kick to the nuts perhaps?"

"Hey look! Some random mammal approached me and kicked me in nuts for no reason!"

"What was the name of the mammal?" I asked, knowing that it was Gazelle who kicked him in the nuts.

"I... Well... He's..."

"You know, there's a big difference between not answering clearly due to being under stress, and not answering because you're trying to come up with a lie" I said. "And you're clearly not under stress. You're just trying to conjure up a lie. What's the name of the mammal that kicked you in the nuts?"

"Ga-" he tried to come up with a fake name.

"So Gazelle kicked you in the nuts" I interrupted with a smile. "I applaud her for that." The wolf looked at me shocked. "Think you're the only one who got kicked in the eight ball by her?" I asked. "Trust me, I got kicked down there by her too."

"Ha! Because she found out you stalked her!" The wolf laughed.

"No... I just wasn't the intended target." I turned to the glass window. "No shame about that!" I yelled with a smile. "No shame!" Through the glass, the group tried hard not to laugh.

I turned back to the wolf. "Now... Here's what I think. You were in a restaurant minding your own business, eating a veggie burger. Yeah, I could still see small crumbs of meat and bread through that muzzle. And the unmistakable scent of vegetarian meat and toppings coming from your breath. You looked out the window and saw Gazelle walking by and your eyes became more focused on her rather than your burger. I believe you spilled some sauce on your pants. You were so focused on her, you left the restaurant. Now, I don't care whether or not you paid for your burger. All I care about is what happens to you at the end. Staying behind alleyways, blending in with crowds. Not once did your eyes leave Gazelle." The wolf began to clench his paws. And I was fully aware of it.

"I'm going to kill you!" He yelled. I ignored him.

"I can go on and on and not stop if that's what it takes. So do you admit everything?"

"Ok! I stalked Gazelle!" He yelled. I didn't flinch.

"I know you did. You said so yourself. Not only that, but you wanted three things from her. An autograph, a kiss, and a hug. Weird things to ask a singing sensation. Normally I just wait for them." The memories of me receiving those three happened as fast as one could spell their whole name.

"How did you know?" He asked.

"I read it in your eyes. So first you lied about not stalking Gazelle, then after a few words from my mouth, you admit to stalking her, then you tried to think of a lie about being assaulted in the smooth criminals which really didn't work out..."

"You can't prove anything." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I then played the entire video of everything I said. The wolf widened his eyes.

"So while you were out stalking Gazelle, I decided to have my own fun by 'stalking' you." The wolf stared wide eyed as I tried to hold back a laugh after Gazelle kicked him in the nuts.

"I hate you so much right now" the wolf growled as I deleted the video. Through the glass, Judy, Gazelle, Carrots, and the other officers began pulling out some money and handed them to Nick.

"Told you" Nick said with a smirk as he pocketed the money. "Every time Jake interrogates someone, they would always use that phrase after he gets into their heads."

I then sang a taunt to the tune of Try Everything.

'You fucked up tonight, you lost a simple fight'

'You done messed up because you told a lie.'

'You stalked Gazelle, which you denied about'

'And then I laughed at what happened next'

'She kicked you in the balls in public'

'I don't think you learned a thing after that'

'Four years in jail, oh the prison food'

'It'll suit you well, and it'll make me proud'

'Oh you won't leave, 'cause you'll try everything'

'Everything that goes on in that jail.'

'Four years in jail, oh the prison food'

'It'll suit you well, and it'll make me proud'

'Oh you won't leave, 'cause you'll try everything'

'Everything that goes on in that jail'

I left the room just as two officers entered the room to take the wolf to serve time in jail. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my carrot shaped pen. I hit the record button. "Most awkward interrogation ever. Now I need to distract myself with something." I turned the recording off and put the pen back into my pocket.

I made my way to the lobby and approached Officer Benjamin Clawhauser. "Oh good you're here" he said after he swallowed his last bit of chocolate donut. "How did the interrogation go?"

"Successful and awkward" I answered. "Anything new?" I asked.

"Nick won $100 all because the wolf you were interrogating said that he really hated you."

"No, no... What's new?" I asked again. Nick has a habit by pooling bets about anything about me. He once betted that I would try to take a donut and get caught by Clawhauser. He won $20 that day. He would've won $40 if I took a sprinkled donut but I took a glazed one instead.

"Oh your mom stopped by. She wants to have lunch with you and Nick."

"Oh, family lunch" I said with a smile. "Nick and I wouldn't say 'no' to that."

"She wants Judy and Carrots to come along too."

"Come again?" I asked.

"Well... Ever since Nick proposed to Judy-"

"That was a month ago" I interrupted.

"And it's still a big deal. Do you have any idea how long the bets have been happening?" He asked excitedly.

"Did you forget that after a certain showdown with a certain serial killer, I ended up in a coma that lasted one year?" I asked. "Plus... Judging by the way things are going, I have a pretty good idea on how excited everyone here at the ZPD were when they found out about Judy and Nick." Clawhauser giggled. "Plus, I saw mom the night Nick proposed to Judy. Though I didn't think hugging me tightly was so helpful."

"What do you mean?" Clawhauser asked as he saw my mom approaching me from behind. The vixen was surprisingly young despite the years Nick and I haven't seen her, and in my case, including the year I was in a coma. She looked like she was between her late 30s and early 40s. In reality, she's actually old. But she does have ways to make herself look younger than she actually is. The vixen put her finger to her muzzle and Clawhauser nodded, trying to hide his giggle.

"Well for one thing, my joints were stiff. And hugging me tightly like that cracked a lot of them. And to be completely honest, I don't really like it when-"

"Jake!" Mom cried out as she hugged me from behind. I cried out and staggered back. Causing Clawhauser and several other officers to laugh. Including Judy, Carrots, Nick, and Gazelle.

"Seriously mom!" I cried out, crouching down so I'm leveled with her. "Admit it, you enjoy sneaking up behind me like that."

"Sure do" she said. She turned her head and smiled. "Come here Nicky" she said. Nick stopped laughing.

"What?" He asked. Mom just stood there and gestured him to come to her.

Nick groaned and walked over to mom. "In front of everyone?" He asked as the same group that laughed at me began laughing at Nick.

"Oh shut up dear, I'm sure their mothers would do the same" she said as she hugged him. After awhile, the two let go of their embrace. "So... Ready to eat out?" She asked.

"Eat out?" Nick asked. "No one told me about it." Mom turned her head and stared at me.

"Jake? Did you forget to tell your brother about our lunch date?" She asked as she approached me. "And did also forget to mention that we're bringing Judy and Carrots along?"

"Now wait a moment mom..." I said, backing away as she walked towards me. Laughs intensified. "I was interrogating a stalker of Gazelle's and he nearly... Well I... It was an awkward interrogation and well..." I bumped my back into the wall.

"Oh honey, that's wonderful that you stopped a mammal trying to stalk Gazelle. Now answer my question... Did you forget to tell Nick about lunch?" Mom wasn't really mad. In fact, this is her way of interrogating me whether or not I forgot something that she asked me to do. In this case, remind Nick that he and I along with Judy and Carrots are having lunch with mom.

"Like I said, there was a stalker, and Gazelle was in trouble... I had to.. And..." I stopped talking and sighed. "Yeah ok... I forgot..." I said crouching down so I'm leveled with her.

Mom held out her paw. I sighed and pulled out my wallet. "Give it to me sweetie" she said. I handed her a green credit card, knowing that it's the one she wants. "Gazelle, officers, Clawhauser, friends of my sons, those of you who wants to join lunch, you're free to do so. Jake's buying." There were some cheers and laughs.

Judy felt sorry for me. She approached Nick with a look of concern in her eyes. "I feel bad for Jake" she said. "He won't have any more money after lunch..." The two watched as Carrots, Gazelle, two other officers, and a white wolf named Arctic (who attended Detective Academy along with Carrots and I) walked by me, thanking me and shaking my hand.

"Don't worry Cottontail" Nick said comfortingly. "Mom isn't harsh. And I'm going to be completely honest with you... That's actually her credit card. She trusts Jake with it more than me. She just likes to make everyone think that card belongs to Jake and it's his treat whenever we eat out."

"Oh" Judy said with a smile. "So everything is ok?"

"Everything is ok" Nick said with a smile. As Judy sprinted after the group, I approached Nick from behind. "Chief Bogo will be pissed" he said. "Those two officers?"

"Their shift has ended" I answered. "So you don't have to worry about them."

"So this lunch date will be a big one" Nick said. "I thought it was just you, me, Judy, Carrots, and mom."

"I thought so too" I said. "But you know... Mom is a very generous individual. Never hesitates to invite friends of the family to the house or join us for lunch."

"Yeah you're right" Nick said with agreement. "Come on. I'm getting hungry."

"Same here" I said. We both sprinted after the group.


	2. Lunch with Mom

The restaurant of choice was a steakhouse and in Zootopia, every single meat they serve everywhere are all vegetarian. This place was famous for one thing... Their sauce. Their sauces goes well with any food they serve. Steaks, appetizers, veggies, the side dishes, even the salads. Hell, even a drop of their sauce will give their soups a strong boost of flavor. But there is only one problem with this restaurant. This place is so popular, you really need luck on your side to get a table. So the original plan was that mom, me, Nick, Judy, and Carrots would have lunch together. But because mom is such a generous and friendly individual, she invited some of our friends to join us:

Gazelle

Arctic

Officer Delgato

Officer Wolford

Because Gazelle didn't want to deal with fans at the moment, the nine of us were brought to a small room wide enough for exactly nine mammals. These are what they call private rooms. It was built mainly for celebrities, and politicians of Zootopia who just want to eat in peace and not want to deal with fans, voters, etc. Gazelle looked pleased that this restaurant had a private room.

The sitting arrangements went like this:

Officer Delgato sat on one side of the table, and Officer Wolford sat across from him. Those two were closest to the door. Sitting next to Delgato was Nick and across from him was mom. Judy sat next to Nick, and Gazelle sat across from her. I sat next to Judy with Carrots sitting across from me. And Arctic was sitting next to me, where he could lean his right side against the wall.

"Hey Jake" Arctic said. "Since you're paying... Can I have the garlic bread for an appetizer, the chili steak, and a side of soup with my own choice of sauce?"

"Are you trying to empty my wallet?" I asked him, causing the group to laugh.

"Jake's right... Mr...?" Mom didn't know his name.

"Oh I'm sorry. My name is Detective Arctic, ma'am" he said in a gentlemanly manner. "I attended Detective Academy along with Carrots and Jake."

"Detective Arctic. I'll remember that." She then looked at the menu to see what Arctic wanted then looked back at him. "But Jake is right... Your order would empty his wallet. Not only that, but the food here is bigger than what the photo is showing you. Which brings up my question. Can you finish all of that?" Arctic looked down at the menu.

"Ooh... You got a point" he said as he looked at the description and price of the chili steak. A spicy steak that also comes with corn, mashed potatoes, and a choice of sauce. $16 total. He would definitely be full once he finishes this particular meal. Only Nick, mom, and I have been to this restaurant. Five times total. So if our guests needs help with anything, we'll gladly help them.

"Hey Wilde" Delgato said.

"Yeah?" Nick and I asked in unison as we both looked at him. Delgato shook his head.

"Nick" he clarified. I nodded my head and returned to looking back at the menu as Officer Delgato asked Nick about the best steak on the menu. Although I was focused on choosing what I want for lunch, the conversation between the other seven rang in my ears. I say 'seven' because I noticed Carrots wasn't talking. The conversations involved mainly police work, how it felt having a human around them, and how Gazelle felt being a part time cop. And based on the answers that were given, they were all positive. I didn't hear anything negative nor did I hear any downsides to their answers.

Carrots had decided what she wanted and closed the menu. She looked around and saw the others deep in conversations and figured they have chosen their orders because of their closed menus. Arctic and I were the only ones deciding. She then focused her wide purple eyes on me. From under the table, she slipped her stockinged foot off her boot. She kept her eyes focused on me, hoping that I'm still focused on choosing what I want to eat.

She hesitantly slipped her socked foot under my pant leg and rubbed it against my shin.

"What the-?" I asked. Carrots quickly pulled back, and slipped her stockinged foot back into her boot, keeping a nonchalant look on her face.

"What is it?" Arctic asked.

"I think I felt a fuzzy bug crawl on my shin. It's gone now." I finally picked what I wanted and closed the menu. A short while later, a polar bear waitress entered our private room with a tray of nine large glasses of water.

"I apologize for the wait" she said. "Every weekend, this place becomes crowded."

We all began accepting her apology in unison as she passed around our drinks. "So..." The waitress said as she pulled out a notepad and pen. "Are you guys ready to order, or do you need a few more minutes?"

"Yeah..." Officer Wolfard began. "He and I will be sharing the garlic steak."

"That comes with two sides."

"String beans and baked potato" Officer Delgato answered.

"And what sauce do you want?"

"Honey BBQ please" Officer Wolfard answered.

"And you?" She asked mom.

"I'll have the meatloaf burger" she answered. "No sauce please."

"There's meatloaf?" Arctic whispered in my ear.

"Seriously?" I asked quietly as the waitress was getting Nick's order. (He and Judy are also sharing a steak with two sides with the restaurant's special sauce ). "You wanna change your order now?"

"Well I didn't know there was meatloaf" Arctic whispered as the waitress was getting Gazelle's order.

"Always thinking with your stomach" I said. "In restaurants, you see something you like, you immediately choose it without seeing what other dishes the restaurant offers."

"And you ma'am?" She asked Carrots.

"I'll have a meatloaf burger too. No sauce, and can you add extra carrots please?"

"Of course" she answered as she wrote it down. "And you sir?" She asked me.

"I'll have the sweet and sour steak with potatoes only please."

"Awesome" she said as she wrote it down. "And you sir?"

"I'll have the chili steak" Arctic said.

"Fair warning sir, the chili steak is the spiciest food in the menu." Imagine a steak smothered in a steak sauce that has chopped habanero peppers and chopped jalapeño peppers. That's what the chili steak is.

"I love spicy food" Arctic said with a smile.

"Ok..." The waitress said as she jotted the order down. "And I'll be right back." She left the private room. I picked up my glass of water.

"A toast to soon-to-be husband and wife... My brother Detective Nick Wilde and Detective Judy Hopps." I remembered last year, before taking the murder case, Chief Bogo decided to give them a test. Since it was going to be their first murder case, if they successfully help me and Carrots solve it, he'll promote them from Officers to Detectives. The others raised their drinks and we all clinked glasses with each other. We all took a sip of the ice cold refreshing beverage and placed our glasses down.

"I'm so happy for you, Nick!" Mom said with pure joy. Nick laughed nervously.

"Thanks mom" he said with a smile. Officer Delgato wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close. Nick cried out at the sudden action, causing Judy to giggle.

"What are the wedding plans?" He asked. "Will it be held at a very fancy church? Who will you invite?" He was bombarding him with questions.

"Ok, I think someone had way too much coffee" Officer Wolfard laughed.

"No, it's ok" Judy said with a smile. "The wedding will happen in a few months." And by 'few', they mean during the holidays. It's near the end of September. The 25th to be exact.

"If you need help with wedding ideas" Gazelle said. "I'll be happy to give some ideas."

"Aww" Judy cooed. "Thank you Gazelle!" Gazelle nodded with a smile.

"My pleasure, Judy."

"So have you picked a minister yet?" Mom asked. Nick turned to face me with a smug look on his face which lead to everyone looking at me, including Carrots and Arctic.

"Me?" I asked. "I'm not qualified!" I argued.

"Oh?" Nick asked. "You're not?" I stared at him wide eyed.

"No, no, no, you're not putting this one on me."

"Come on Jake... Family secret?" Nick asked. "Do it for me? Your loving brother and his soon-to-be wife?" He was looking at me so pleadingly, it was really hard for me to say 'no' even though I wanted to.

"Ok fine, I'll do it!" I said. "But just this once!"

"Thank you Jake!" Nick and Judy both said in unison. Judy wrapped her arms around my waist while Nick got up from his seat, walked over to me and hugged my waist too. Mom and the rest of the group began taking photos of us with their phones.

"Come on Jake!" Arctic yelled. "Let's see those teeth!" I forced a smile. Why do I have a feeling that there's a downside to being the minister to Nick and Judy's wedding?

30 minutes later, the polar bear waitress as well as two other waitresses, a leopard, and a jaguar arrived with our food, and my God, they all just look so delicious. Even the aromas of the cooked steaks would just make your mouth water. "Enjoy" our waitress said as our respective orders were placed in front of us.

Gazelle had ordered a salad. And trust me, the salads here are so good, even the sight of it would tempt someone who doesn't normally eat salad would want to eat it.

As we ate our lunch, I couldn't help but keep wondering about the aftermath of my coma. One doesn't simply just recover from a coma like that. I must have been injected with something strong. Either that or I'm probably not human. I call the latter bullshit. I'm going to have to visit the hospital I spent a year at. And I know where it is.

"So Jake" mom began. "Can you tell us more about Detective Academy?" Arctic swallowed a piece of his steak.

"Oh! The thing with Detective Academy, there are only three requirements that needs to be done before being accepted" he answered for me. "And all three requirements must be met."

"What are the requirements?" Judy asked.

"First requirement, you can only attend if you truly want to be a detective. As in it's been your dream to become one" Arctic answered.

"Second requirement, you must be educated" Carrots added. "As long as you're educated in some way, you've accomplished the second requirement." I self-educated myself by reading Sherlock Hound novels for so long and so many times, I slowly picked up his abilities, so that counted. And according to Carrots, she read the novels too. But unlike me, she rarely uses the investigative techniques Sherlock Hound uses. Apparently she's been reading those novels as long as I have.

"And what's the third requirement?" Gazelle asked. Arctic, Carrots, and I looked at each other nervously.

"You must promise not to be under stress for any reason during your stay at the academy, as well as during days on which you'll be getting tests, exams, and mid-terms. Especially finals." I said. "This requirement is to test if you truly want to be a detective."

"I still remember what happened to Lionel Marx" Arctic said as he took a bite out of his chili steak.

"Who?" Officer Wolfard asked, unaware that Officer Delgato stole some of his string beans.

"Lionel Marx had dreamt of being a detective since he was young" Carrots explained. "He got so excited when he was enrolled. Unfortunately, he didn't anticipate how stressful it was going to be. According to him, the detectives in novels and movies made it look so easy."

"What happened?" Nick asked. He and Judy were both done with their food and mom has already finished her burger. Even Gazelle finished her salad. I don't know how they managed to eat that fast.

"Well, for tests, mid-terms, and finals, the instructor stages a crime scene... Using dolls and dummies of course" I explained. (The instructor was also the twin sister of the drill instructor at the Zootopia Police Academy so expect the name calling and the occasional 'You're Dead!' Which is her way of saying "You failed, or wrong answer"). "Kidnapping, robbery, murder, you name a crime scene, it'll be staged."

"Near the end of our first month, we were all tested by solving a murder case". Arctic continued. "Everyone had the same murder case, but we all had to solve it individually. No group work, not even help. The blood and guts used was actually red dye, red food coloring, and red jello. The second Lionel saw the 'murder' scene, he turned all green and staggered out of the room. He wasn't ready to become a detective despite his protests that it's been his dream to become one."

"So he failed the third requirement?" Mom asked.

"Yeah" Arctic said. "The sight of blood and guts had put him under stress. So much so, he became sick to his stomach. And apparently, he's been stressed with how difficult the study books were. So he was told to pack his bags and leave the academy. He was mad as hell. He thought they would give him another chance but he was wrong. And we never saw him again. Don't know where he is now or how he's doing. And keep in mind this was during the first month of our first year at the academy." Who can blame him? Detective work is very challenging. You must be prepared to solve whatever crime gets thrown at you.

"And you stayed for four years, right?" Mom asked. The three of us nodded in unison.

"So how do you pass the tests? Graduate?" Judy asked.

"Solving the staged crime scenes earns a passing grade" Carrots said. "It doesn't matter how fast you do it. Just as long as you solved the crime scene."

"And to graduate, not only do you need to solve every staged case, but you can't show any sign of stress while solving the 'crime scene'".

"What happens if you fail to solve a crime scene?" Officer Delgato asked.

"Normally our instructor would just yell 'You're Dead' and call us names and allows a retest, though solving them will only give you half credit" Arctic answered. "But for final exams and mid-terms, whoever fails those must do it again... On the same day you took it."

"And where's the academy?" Mom asked.

"Outside of Zootopia" I answered. "But it isn't that far away which is a very good thing."

The next conversation was basically ideas for Nick and Judy's upcoming wedding. After all, they'll have a long time to plan it. And mom and Gazelle volunteered to come up with wedding ideas.

Mom paid the check, and we all left the restaurant satisfied with what we ate and we definitely want to eat there again some time later in life.

Mom dropped us all off at the ZPD. "Bye kids" she said with a smile as she hugged Nick and Judy. I crouched down a little so I could join the family group hug. Gazelle, Carrots, and the two officers joined the group hug as well.

"Bye mom" Nick and I both said in unison.

"I'm holding onto the card this time Jake" she whispered in my ear. "Thanks for keeping it safe."

"No problem, mom" I whispered back. We all then broke the group hug.

"Well it's been fun" Officer Wolford said. "Lunch was delicious! Thank you for inviting us, Mrs. Wilde!" He turned to me. "And thanking you for paying!" He lightly punched me in the arm.

"Ha ha, yeah... Well..." I didn't know what to say.

"Yes, thank you for lunch" Officer Delgato said with agreement.

"It's not a problem you guys" mom quickly said with a smile. She got into her car, buckled her seatbelt, and started the engine. "I'll see you kids later, ok?" She asked.

"See you later mom!" Nick called as we all waved goodbye. Mom then drove out of the ZPD parking lot and drove on home. Officer Delgato turned to us.

"Listen. Wolfard and I are going to escort Gazelle home. See you guys in the morning."

He and I shook hand/paw. "Cool" I said. "See you tomorrow then." Gazelle bid us goodbye as she got into her personal car and drove off with the two officers following her as her backup.

"Well I guess Judy and I should get home as well" Nick said with a smile.

"That sounds good" Judy said with a smile.

"All right" I said, crouching down a little to hug Nick. "See you tomorrow, bro." We both watched as Nick and Judy got into their car and drove out of the parking lot. Only Carrots and I remained on the parking lot.

"Did you have a good time?" I asked.

"I sure did" she said. "Thank you for paying for everyone. That was so nice of you. And that was sweet of your mom to invite us to have lunch with her."

"Not the first time she's done that" I answered. Suddenly, Try Everything started to play. My face turned bright red.

"Ringtone?" Carrots asked.

"Yeah" I said as I pulled out my phone. I answered it and put it against my ear. "Hello? Chief Bogo? Yeah? Oh my God, really? Just now?! Ok we'll... No it's just me and Carrots. Sure, we'll head over there right now. What's the address? Ok, Chief, we'll be there ASAP!" I hung up and pocketed my phone.

"What did Chief Bogo want?" Carrots asked worriedly. I looked at her with worry in my eyes.

"There's been a murder" I said. "And the chief wants us there... Now. I have the address." We both got into my car and left the parking lot, heading straight to the murder scene.


	3. The First Sin

We arrived at a house in the suburban area of Savanna Central. Police cars were parked by one of the houses, the lights on top of their cars flashing red and blue. I parked the car next to one of the parked cop cars. I turned the engine off and pulled the key out, pocketing it. "Ready Carrots?" I asked. She nodded her head.

"Let's do this" she said with a determined look on her face. We both got out of the car and closed the doors. I locked the doors and we both approached the house. We entered the house and met up with the chief and a few other officers who all had flashlights.

"Here's the murder victim" Chief Bogo said stepping aside, revealing a dead wolf with his flashlight. He had a few wounds on his chest as if he got stabbed. But there was something strange about his wounds. Who would shoot him and then stab him in one of the places the bullets struck him? Whoever did this clearly didn't like him. "Recognize him?" He asked. I stared at the body for a moment and gasped with realization. Memories of me fighting the wolf in order to save Gazelle flashed in my mind including a really painful head butt which helped me win the fight.

"Yeah... I know him" I said. "Didn't you arrest him in the hotel during that night at Gazelle's after party?" I asked.

"Yeah. But he somehow escaped. And none of us even knew about it until tonight."

"Fuck" I whispered. How long ago was that? "Can I borrow that?" I asked Chief Bogo. He handed me the flashlight. I looked around the room, shining the flashlight around the walls and floor. "No sign of forced entry, I'll tell you that" I said, shining the flashlight at the windows and doors.

"Maybe his killer was outside?" An officer asked.

"No bullet holes through the windows, nor the walls" I said, shining the flashlight back at the windows and walls. "Which means... His killer was in the house when he murdered him." I entered the kitchen and looked around, with Carrots following close behind.

"So why was he murdered?" Carrots asked. I shined the flashlight at the wall and shuddered.

"Better question!" I said in such a way that caused Chief Bogo and the other officers in the house to join me in the kitchen. "Which deadly sin did this wolf commit?"

Written on the wall in blood was: Deadly Sin: 1/7

"Seven?" Carrots asked.

"Seven deadly sins" I said. "Gluttony, Greed, Pride, Lust, Envy, Wrath, Sloth. We're going to be expecting six more dead mammals that committed one of the remaining six deadly sins once we find out which deadly sin this wolf committed." I walked back to the dead body and examined the body some more. I then pieced together about why his wound looks so strange. "Yep..." I said, staring at the bullet wounds.

"What is it, Jake?" Chief Bogo asked.

"The writing on the wall is written in his blood, right" I asked. Chief Bogo, Carrots, and the other officers nodded.

"Yes, and?" Chief Bogo asked, expecting to hear more from me.

"So, whoever murdered him must've gotten a knife, dug the blade into one of the bullet wounds like dipping a quill pen into an ink bottle and wrote on the wall."

"But what deadly sin did he commit?" An officer asked.

"Wrath?" An officer guessed. "I mean, he was angry that Gazelle didn't invite him to the concert."

"Envy?" Another guessed. "He was jealous that fans were invited him but not him." A strong scent wavered through my nose. I stood up and followed the scent which led me to a corner. I shined the flashlight on the floor. There was something written on the floor but I couldn't read it. I crouched down and inhaled the scent. Alcohol.

"I think I know what deadly sin he committed" I said grabbing a box of matches off the bookshelf next to me. Everyone turned to face me. I handed the flashlight back to Chief Bogo, pulled out a match from the box and struck it, lighting it up. I dropped it on the floor by the corner and we all watched a word light up in flame.

Greed

"Money" an officer said. "This wolf wanted lots and lots of money so he could try bribing Gazelle to let him go to the concert."

"An excellent guess..." I said out loud as I went to the kitchen to fill a glass up with water. "But greed doesn't necessarily involve money. Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain. So I'm thinking... His greediness involves Gazelle merchandise." I doused the flaming word out with water.

"We checked all over the house" Chief Bogo said. "No merchandise."

"Maybe he's a closet fan just like when Chief-" Officer Higgins quickly stopped talking when Chief Bogo glared at him. I saw really faint paw prints on the floor leading to a wall down the hallway and they clearly didn't belong to the killer. I closed my eyes and began to think.

Flashback:

The wolf walked down the hallway, pulled out a key from his pocket, inserted it, unlocked the wall, and it slid open, revealing something that made him smile.

Present:

"Are you sure you checked everywhere?" I asked.

"You know we checked it all Jake" Chief Bogo said. "Why do you ask?" I walked over to the wolf and checked his pockets and pulled out a key. I then walked down the hall where Carrots, Chief Bogo, and the other officers followed me.

"I believe you checked every corner of the house" I said. "But I don't believe you checked everywhere." I pointed to a keyhole in the wall. Chief Bogo shined his flashlight at the keyhole.

"What?!" He asked. "How did we all miss that?!"

"I know, right?" I asked. I inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it. The wall slid open, revealing Gazelle posters, albums, figurines, snow globes, pens, phone cases, lunch boxes, watches, basically anything you can think of, it's in here and Gazelle themed. "I seriously doubt the wolf told anyone about his stash" I said. Chief Bogo and the other officers gasped in awe, and admired the stash.

"So what happens now?" Carrots asked.

"Chief?" I asked.

"What is it Jake?" He asked as he still stared at the insane stash of Gazelle merchandise.

"Permission for me and Carrots to take the case?" I asked. Chief Bogo nodded his head without looking at me.

"Granted" he said, still staring at the stash.

"Thank you sir" I said. I reached inside the storage wall and grabbed a Swiss army knife with an image of Gazelle on the handle.

"What the hell are you doing, Jake?!" Chief Bogo asked loudly, snapping out of his trance.

"Well I figured that since the Gazelle-stalking fuck is dead, I don't think he has a need for all of this anymore." I pocketed the knife as Carrots grabbed a few Gazelle pens. "Now if you'll excuse us... We got a case to solve. Take care." Carrots and I left the house as Chief Bogo and the officers began fighting over the merchandise. We both got into the car, trying to hold back laughter from what we just heard. My face suddenly became serious.

"What is it?" Carrots asked.

"I have a feeling that there's more to the murder" I said.

"What do you mean?" Carrots asked.

"Not only was that wolf murdered because he was greedy, but I also happened to somewhat know him. Do you think the killer is targeting mammals I know and who are also committing a deadly sin?"

"Maybe it's a coincidence?" Carrots asked.

"Could be" I answered. "We're going to expect six more of these." I started the engine and drove on home.

The next morning, when Carrots and I entered the ZPD, we were met with an usual sight, but who are we kidding? We saw it happening from a mile away. Chief Bogo and the officers had grabbed every last item in the stalker's private stash of Gazelle merchandise and had passed them out to every member of the ZPD. Clawhauser kept a poster of Gazelle that he plans to hang on his wall. Even Gazelle wasn't ashamed to keep her own merchandise.

"Jake, Jake, for goodness, sake!" Nick called. He approached Carrots and I while wearing his sunglasses.

"Oh God, help me please" I said, rolling my eyes.

"Did you see all the Gazelle stuff Chief Buffalo brought in?" He asked, showing me a Gazelle coffee mug. Judy walked up next to him, excited as well.

"There is so much stuff!" She laughed. She carried a plastic shopping bag with a bunch of Gazelle shirts.

"Chief really likes Gazelle" Nick said with a smile. "How nice of him to give some of his Gazelle stuff to us."

"Those merchandise came from a murdered victim" I whispered. Nick removed his sunglasses and he and Judy looked at me shocked.

"What?" They asked in unison.

"Remember last year, there was a wolf who wanted to kill Gazelle because he wasn't invited to her concert?" Carrots asked.

"Oh yeah, and Jake head butted him so hard, he got loopy and we all thought he was drunk until we saw a bruise on his forehead!" Nick laughed, recalling the event.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Real funny, Nick" I said, deadpanned. "Anyway, he was murdered last night and Carrots and I are taking the case. Unfortunately we don't have any leads which is kind of a big deal right now."

"We'll help you out" Nick said. "Won't we, Judy?"

"Sure we will!"

"Thanks guys. It means a lot" I said with a smile.

"Uh... Jake?!" Clawhauser called. We all turned our heads and saw Clawhauser gesturing us to come over to him. As we got near his desk, we saw a horrified look on his face. "I just got a call... There's been another murder."

"Another one?!" I asked, shocked. Nick, Judy, and Carrots were giving me worried looks. "Where's the address?" I asked. Clawhauser handed me a small sheet of paper. I read the address and sighed. "Ok..." I said, turning to the other three. "Let's go."

"I'll tell Chief Bogo that you and Nick will be helping out" he said to Judy.

"Thanks Clawhauser!" Judy thanked as the four of us exited the station.

When we arrived at the house, we saw that a few officers also heard about the murder and had beaten us to the murder location. "Is there a witness?" I asked Officer Wolfard.

"She fainted" he answered. I turned my head and saw a female deer lying in the back of an ambulance.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well..." He said. "Does that answer your question?" He asked pointing to the officers. Some were throwing up, and some were taking in deep breaths into brown paper bags.

"I take it that it isn't a pretty sight" Nick said.

"Well, as soon as I saw them running out of the house, I didn't bother to go in." I turned my head towards the front door which was open. The four of us cautiously entered the house. Sun shone through the windows and the smell of blood filled our noses.

"What the fuck could've happen here?" I asked myself. I stepped into the foyer and saw a puddle of blood on the floor. No drag marks going either direction, which means... I looked up and gasped. Judy looked up as well.

"Oh my God!" Judy gasped, putting her paws over her mouth, muffling her cries. Nick and Carrots looked as frightened as Judy and I were.

"Things have just gotten serious" I said. Written on the ceiling in blood were the words:

Deadly Sin: 2/7


	4. The Second Sin

The four of us stared at the written message on the ceiling for another few seconds in utter shock, and silence.

"A message written in blood, but no body to be found?" Nick asked. A faint smell wavered through my nose and I immediately recognized it. Alcohol.

"That's because the killer couldn't leave the body out in the open" I said.

"What are you talking about?" Judy asked as I pulled out the matchbox from the night before.

"When Carrots and I encountered the first murdered victim, the victim was just lying in the middle of the floor. My guess is this... The killer was planning on targeting Mr. Stalker from the moment he saw greed in his eyes. He managed to find his address, arrived at his house, and shot him just as he opened the door. Now this next victim... Was either way too heavy to move, or..." I lit a match and tossed it on the floor and we all watched a word appear in flame. "Just too fucking lazy to do anything. Lazy to a point where he didn't bother to call for help or even attempt to escape." The four of us stared at the one flaming word.

Sloth

"Well..." Nick said. "So he was killed because of this?"

"So that's two out of seven" Carrots said.

"Seven what?" Judy asked.

"Deadly sins" I answered. "That wolf was killed because of his greed with Gazelle merchandise, then the killer had located a mammal who committed sloth which the body is yet to be found... All that's left now are gluttony, wrath, pride, envy, and lust." I quickly went to the kitchen, filled a glass up with water, ran back to the foyer, and doused the flaming word out. As I did, I noticed something in the living room.

"Jake?" Carrots asked worriedly. What is it?" I didn't answer her. Instead I walked to the living room and saw a bunch of unorganized books, scattered opened envelopes, flipped over footstools, and a trash can in the middle of the room. There was also paperwork scattered all over the coffee table and the desk. Even most of the floor was covered with paperwork. Nick and Judy followed Carrots into the room and saw the mess.

"Looks like the owner was frantic to find something" Judy guessed.

"Either that or there was a struggle" Nick guessed.

"I know whose house this is" I said quietly, but still loud enough for the others to hear. "Solomon Cash."

"Who?" Carrots asked. I left the room and began to walk up the stairs.

"I wonder how the killer wrote that on the ceiling" Nick said, gesturing to the message written in blood.

"I don't care how he did it" I said, opening one of the doors, revealing a closet. I walked over to another door and opened it. It was the bathroom. "All I care about is finding him and stopping this madness." I opened another door, it was another closet.

I then opened one of the last few doors and shuddered at what I saw in the room. I took steady breaths to control myself from gagging. I leaned against the doorway, staring at the horrific sight in the room. When the other three peeked into the room, they all gasped in terror. A pig was lying on his bed with an apple stuffed in his mouth, and his throat slit so deeply, it almost looks like he was beheaded. Blood stained his clothes, pillows, blanket, and bed sheets. "Solomon was known for one thing" I said as we all continued to stare at the body. I entered the room and looked around. "He is so lazy, he actually pays his own family members, friends, and neighbors to do his chores, and homework. And he's currently going to a community college. Can you believe that? This college student actually bribed his own mother to go to his college to get his homework." Judy noticed Nick staring at the body as if he knows him too. Thank God he isn't lazy to eat or go to the bathroom.

"You know him, Nick?" Judy asked. Nick nodded his head.

"He was a pain in the ass..." Nick began. "He was a local bully in the neighborhood and Jake ruined his life."

"How?" Judy asked.

"Solomon kept calling a bunny 'cute' non-stop, also in the most annoying way possible while they were walking home and that caused me to push him into the mud, causing the other neighborhood kids to laugh at him" I answered.

"Didn't he tell his parents what happened?" Carrots asked.

"Like Jake said... He is extremely lazy. Too lazy to tell what happened. Plus, he was a big, bad, bully. Jake did a favor for the neighborhood kids" Nick explained. From where I stood, I noticed a card on a desk and sighed. I know what the card is for.

"You know how I said he is a lazy asshole?" I asked, walking towards the desk.

"Yeah" Nick said quickly almost like he's impatient.

"Apparently, there is only one place in Zootopia he isn't lazy to go to." I grabbed the card and showed it to them.

"Feline Fatale?" Carrots asked.

"A strip club" Nick answered. "Are we going there?" He asked me. I glared at him in response. Nick raised his hands up defensively. "No, no, no... You heard it all wrong!" He began to back away.

"I know why you want to go there" I said as I walked towards him. "You wanna make a bet..."

"Well... I... To tell you the truth..." Nick began saying.

"Are you under stress, or conjuring up a lie?" I asked with a raised brow. "You know pawpsicle hustling and selling red wood, weren't the only things you've done during your days as a con artist."

"Now Jake look..."

"On your 18th birthday, you took me out for a drink at the Feline Fatale and what did you do? You made a bet that I would get drunk and dance with one of the dancers. And that didn't work. Are you planning another attempt to make that bet again to win back the money?" I asked.

"No! No! No! Jake! Listen to me. I know you love Carrots, and she loves you too. I would never do anything to jeopardize your love for each other!"

I smiled. "I know, I'm just messing with you" I laughed.

"Wait, what?!" Nick asked.

"Did you mean everything you said?" I asked.

"Uh no! I mean yes! Actually...!"

"You do care about us!" I laughed.

"Well I mean, you can't prove whether or not I meant it." He crossed his arms. I held up my carrot-shaped pen and pressed a button.

"You love Carrots, and she loves you too. I would never do anything to jeopardize your love for each other!" Nick's voice said. Nick turned red with embarrassment as Carrots and Judy held their paws over their mouths to muffle their laughter.

"Seems to me you meant every word and I'll cherish the moment" I said, pocketing the pen. "Boom." I left the room as Nick began blushing harder and harder.

"Well played!" He squeaked.

"Watching your hustles has its perks!" I called back. I then went back down the stairs and out the front door. "We found the body" I said to Officer Wolfard. "Fair warning, it's a disturbing sight." Officer Wolfard and a few officers entered the house, bringing a gurney with them.

I sat on the hood of a police car watching the officers wheel a gurney out of the house with Solomon's body on it. That was quick. While waiting for the others, I began to list what I know so far...

'The killer is hunting down mammals who have committed a deadly sin. He has five more victims to look for, and the only lead I have Solomon's visits to the Feline Fatale strip club based on the card I took from his room. I'm going to have to go there and ask around if I want to catch the killer and prevent any more deaths. Luckily I won't be going in there alone.'

I then began to wonder whether if the killer is purposely targeting mammals that I know, or if it's a coincidence. I was immediately jolted out of my thoughts when I saw Nick, Judy, and Carrots approach me. "Ready to go?" I asked.

"Feline Fatale, right?" Nick asked as we all got into the car. Nick took the shotgun seat.

"Yep" I answered. "Wanna drive this time?"

"Sure" Nick said with a smile.

"Wasn't asking you" I said.

"No, it's ok, you could drive" Carrots answered.

"Sorry Nick, but this police car belongs to Carrots and I... And I intend to keep it safe like its my own child." I started the engine and drove down the neighborhood towards the strip club.

During the drive there, Nick noticed that I had a very nervous look on my face. "Do you know if she still works there?" I asked. Nick actually did know what I was talking about.

"Yeah" he said. "Yeah she still does" he said. I sighed with annoyance.

"Damn" I whispered. Through the mirror, Nick saw that Judy and Carrots were wearing very nervous looks on their faces.

"There's a leopard that works there..." Nick said. "Her name is Madeline and Jake has a strong hatred for her."

"Why?" Carrots asked. Nick looked at me, wondering if he should tell them. I took a quick look at him and nodded my head.

"Go tell them" I said.

"Madeline likes girls" he said. "And to be fair, Jake doesn't hate her because of the fact that she likes other female mammals. Jake hates her because of what she is capable of... She can make other female mammals fall in love with her. Even when said female mammals already has a boyfriend... Or a husband."

"Yep" I answered. "There was this wolf who fell in love with a snow leopard. They both visited the Feline Fatale and when the snow leopard tried to befriend Madeline, that friendship turned into something more. The snow leopard dumped the wolf, and began dating Madeline."

"Are Madeline and the snow leopard still together?" Judy asked.

"Nope" Nick answered.

"The snow leopard dumped her for what she did to her" I answered. "Then she got back together with the wolf, they married, had children, living happily ever after." After I said that, a thought crossed my mind. What if Madeline goes after Carrots? Worse... What if she goes after Judy? Nick and Judy are getting married in a few months! If she makes Judy fall in love with her... Hell will definitely break loose... Well, to me it will.


	5. Clues at the Morgue and the Lab

While we were driving down the street towards the Feline Fatale in Savanna Central, my phone rang. Try Everything began to play. I turned my head and saw Nick smirking at me. "I'm not ashamed" I said quickly as I pulled out my phone. I placed it on the dashboard and put it on speaker. "Hello?" I asked.

"Jake? It's Clawhauser" the giddy fat cheetah greeted. Judging by the way he sounded, he was chewing a donut.

"Swallow first" I said.

"Sorry" he said, a little muffled. We could hear a faint gulp. "Sorry, chocolate sprinkled donut."

"I know... You love those things. Anyway, why have you called?"

"Well, the workers at the morgue found something on the two bodies. After this call, I'll send the photos to you if you want me to."

"Actually... Want us to head to the morgue instead?" I asked.

"Oh that would be great! They wanted to see you anyway. Oh and one other thing!" He sounded excited this time.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Gazelle is having another concert!" He yelled with excitement.

"Where?" I asked.

"Palm Tree Hotel, Sahara Square this weekend" he answered.

"Sounds good. Can't wait to see it" I said with a smile. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. After you visit the morgue, the lab wishes to see you. I don't know what it's for but they requested you."

"Ok. I'm on my way there now."

"See ya!" He hung up. I hung up as well and pocketed my phone. I wondered what the lab wanted to see me for. The rest of the ride towards the ZPD became eerily quiet for some reason. No conversations, no questions about the entire conversation on the phone, nothing. It was a good thing for me because it gave me time to dive down into the case. Maybe the discoveries at the morgue will help us solve the case and catch this mysterious killer.

By the time we walked through the doors of the ZPD, Officer Clawhauser began gesturing to the direction the morgue was at. I nodded my head and went directly to the morgue along with Nick, Carrots, and Judy. When we arrived there, we were greeted by a few mammals. Mostly prey worked there. A female badger approached us. "Oh good, you've arrived" she said.

"Clawhauser said this is urgent" Nick said, looking a little worried.

"Well, I wouldn't call it urgent, but we found a clue of sorts. And I'm sure it'll help you with your investigation." She walked over to a small tray on a table at the far end of the room and grabbed two pieces of paper. She then went back to us. "This was found in the pocket of the greed victim." She handed me the first paper. "And what we are not sure about is why they're addressed to you."

I glanced at the crumpled paper. Although crumpled, the writing was very clear.

'Jake... Doesn't it suck that I got to him before you did? I bet you wanted to put him behind bars after he escaped.' How did he know about that?

"And this..." The female badger said as she handed the second piece paper to me. "Was found under the sloth victim's pillow. I took the sheet of paper from her. It wasn't crumpled like the last one.

'Jake... If you're reading this, I take it that you saw that I already slit the bastard's throat. What were you planning to do with a pig who wouldn't do anything useful other than go to a strip club?'

"Can I keep these?" I asked. "I have a feeling that they might help us in our investigation."

"Of course" the female badger said. "But do you know why the messages are written for you in particular?"

"No. But I have a feeling that the answer to that question is something I'm not going to like." I also have a feeling that I might know who wrote this. But I don't want to jump into that particular conclusion yet.

According to Clawhauser, the lab wanted to see me next, so that's where we were heading to now. When we arrived, the main doctor, which was a tiger approached me. "Good to see you again Jake" he said, shaking my hand with his paw.

"Same to you" I said. "You wanted to see me?" I asked.

"Oh yes and it's actually important." He grabbed a clipboard from a table and began to read a page off it. "Are you curious why you were able to just wake up from a coma like it was regular sleep and how you were completely cured? Other than the scar on your heart from when you had to inject yourself to cure yourself from the night howler poison?"

"That kind of thing didn't really cross my mind" I answered truthfully. "But is there an explanation?"

"Yes. There actually is" the tiger doctor answered. "You see, after the success of your surgery, your burns and wounds healed over time. Thanks to the power of some of the medicines that were used on you. Strong shit if you ask me. Now, the reason why you woke up from a coma like it was sleep?" He walked over to a small safe on the table, dialed the combination, and opened it. He then pulled out a glass bottle the size of an ink bottle. "A friend of yours went to every hospital in Zootopia hoping that they would have something to help you get out of your coma. And they found one, which was this. Extremely hard to get. Why? Because it was kept under heavy protection, and securely locked in a vault in the basement of the hospital at a military base."

"Do you know who it was?" I asked. "The one that went all around Zootopia hospitals to get it?"

"I don't know, it was sent through z-mail and the one who sent it was anonymous. Not only that, I have so much z-mail right now, it's probably buried under a lot of them. It'll take a long time to get to it." I turned to Carrots with a smile on my face.

"You went through all that trouble for me?" I asked. "You know I love you!" I hugged her tightly. "Thank you!"

"Jake" she said as she hugged me back. "I love you too, but I was by your side making sure you stayed safe while you were in a coma. I didn't send that z-mail." I turned to Judy and Nick.

"Not us" Nick said. "We were by Carrots's side." Judy nodded with agreement.

"We were allowed to stand by your side during visiting hours only."

"You're a detective, aren't you?" The tiger asked. "I'm pretty sure you can figure it all out before you can spell your own full name."

"Hey, I can't simply look at a typed z-mail from an anonymous sender and go 'I know who sent it!' That's psychic shit. But if it was a written letter, that's a different story."

"So who could've done it?" Judy asked.

"If I had to guess? Someone that likes me so much, they would do something like this. I mean you guys would do the same right?" Nick, Judy, and Carrots looked at each other nervously.

"Well we could, but I don't think we're fit to do something like that" Nick said to me.

"Thanks" I said, deadpanned. Just then, Try Everything began playing. I pulled out my phone and answered it. "Hello? Yeah? Oh hey mom. What? Well uh-" Nick jumped up and snatched the phone from my hand. "What the hell?" I asked.

"Shh" he whispered. He then pressed the phone against his ear. "Yeah mom? Sure! We would love to have dinner with you. Spend the night with you too? Of course! But I have to talk to the chief first. I'll call you back and tell you what he says. Love you, bye." He hung up and tossed the phone back to me.

"Nick, what the hell are-" Nick cut me off by holding up one finger.

"One second" he said as he dialed Chief Bogo's number on his phone.

"Nick seriously... There are two dead bodies, there's a killer out roaming the streets of Zootopia-"

He then pressed the phone against his ear, clearly ignoring me. "Hi chief! Look my mom called and she wants me, Carrots, Judy, and Jake over for dinner tonight and she also wants us to spend the night with her as well. I don't want to break her fragile heart. It'll upset her greatly if we denied her request and I don't want that to happen. Thank you! We won't let you down." He hung up and pocketed his phone. "You're welcome Jake" he said. "Chief and a few officers will take the case while we're having our dinner date with mom but he expects us to continue the case first thing in the morning."

"You know I hate you sometimes, right?" I asked.

"You know you love me" he teased.

"Do you want me to respond to that? Because I'm not going to."

"Come on Jake" he said teasingly as he, Carrots and Judy left the lab. I turned to the tiger and thanked him, shaking his paw. I bid him goodbye and ran after the group.

"Nick, why do I get the feeling that we're going to have an excellent dinner date with mom, when deep down, I know nothing good will come from it?" I asked as we all got in the car. "I also have a feeling that the anonymous mammal that sent that z-mail isn't even my friend. For all I know, they may be a mammal who's pretending to be my friend."

"Stop worrying too much and let's go" Nick said as he texted mom on his phone.

'We are allowed to have dinner with you and spend the night. But the chief expects us to continue our case in the morning.'

She immediately responded with a smiling fox emoji.

I started the engine and drove down the street. Mom didn't live far, but some time during the drive there, the three passengers in the car ended up taking a nap.

We eventually arrived at mom's house. It was a medium sized house perfect to fit a family of six or seven. I opened the garage door, parked the car inside, and turned off the engine. I looked to my right and saw Nick sleeping with his mouth opened a little. Carrots and Judy were both asleep as well. I pulled out my phone and texted mom.

'We're here. I'm just waiting for Nick, Judy, and Carrots to wake up from their nap.'

'Take your time sweetie! Dinner isn't ready yet! Also I invited Mattie to join us for dinner. She's inside helping me with dinner. I didn't tell her that you're coming. I only mentioned Nick and Judy! Won't she be surprised when she sees you.'

I didn't respond. Instead I turned my phone off and pocketed it. "Oh boy..." I sighed. "Yeah she will be surprised" I said to myself.

"What is it?" Nick asked tiredly.

"Mattie is inside helping mom prepare dinner" I answered. Nick quickly bolted upright, jolted out of his sleep.

"Mattie is here?!" He asked so loudly, he woke up Judy and Carrots.

"Who's Mattie?" Judy asked as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Our sister" Nick answered.

"And this is the same vixen who had a crush on me" I answered. "And that was before she found out I was going to be her new adopted brother. The look on her face was priceless when she found that out I was going to be her new brother."

"I believe she said she wanted to date you when you guys got older" Nick laughed.

"Don't start" I said as I opened the car door. I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out. I closed the door and stared at Nick through the window for a moment. "Not seeing mom for a long time was one thing. But can you imagine the look on Mattie's face when she sees me?"

Nick, Judy, and Carrots watched as I headed towards the door. I opened it and stepped inside. "Yeah I want to see this" Nick said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

The second I stepped into the house, the scent of vegetables, and vegetarian meat assaulted my nostrils in a really good way. Lemon butter, chile lime, seasonings, my God I'm getting hungry already. "Mom! I'm home!" I called.

"I'm in the kitchen sweetie!" Her voice called over the sound of something frying in the pan. As soon as one enters through the garage, they have to walk down this narrow hall. The door at the end of the hallway is the pantry where mom keeps her spices and canned goods. Turn left, and they'll end up in the kitchen.

There's a large rectangular counter in the middle of the kitchen. This is where all the fruits, mails, and car keys are placed. On one side was the stove, and on the other side of the counter was the dining table. It was round, and it had three chairs on one side, and on the other side, there was a booth against the wall. Above the table on the ceiling was a large circular glass window. Sit at the booth, you can enjoy the heat of the sun shining on you during breakfast. Sit in one of the chairs, you can enjoy the amazing view of the sky. Like I said, at night, it may not be much except for the moon, but it's the morning that makes the window cool. Sit at an angle though, you can see a few neon lights of the very tall buildings in Savanna Central.

Mom was by the stove frying something. She quickly turned the dial to low heat and walked over to me. "Jake!" She greeted. I crouched down and hugged her.

"Hi mom" I greeted in return. The sound of the door closing startled me, but it didn't startle mom.

"Mm-mm! Something smells really good!" Nick's voice rang out. He entered the kitchen along with Carrots and Judy. "Hi mom" he greeted as he removed his sunglasses and pocketed them. While mom greeted Nick, Judy, and Carrots, I heard a soft gasp behind me. I stood back upright and turned around.

Standing in the doorway of the kitchen was a vixen who was about as tall as Nick and mom. She wore a purple shirt, black leggings, and black socks. She had both of her paws over her heart. "Jake..." She said softly.

"Hey Mattie" I greeted.

"It's been so long" she said as she approached me. I could see tears of joy forming in her eyes.

"I know it has" I responded. I crouched down so that I was leveled with her. We both hugged each other tightly.

"I missed you so much Jake" she said softly.

"I missed you too." We were stuck in this embrace for a few more seconds.

"Dinner's ready!" Mom announced happily. We broke the embrace.

"I can't wait to see what she cooked" I said with a smile.

"You'll be surprised" she said with a smile too.


	6. Wilde Family Dinner Part 1

Our dinner for the night? Veggies with lemon butter, vegetarian meat with chile lime, a side of baked potatoes, gravy, and a small bowl full of blueberries for Nick. I was sitting at the booth next to Nick. Mom, Carrots, and Judy sat across from us, and Mattie was sitting next to Nick. For the first few minutes, none of us had said a single word. The only sounds were the clinking of spoons and forks scraping food against the plate, chewing, and swallowing. And also there was the occasional noise of Nick gulping down a blueberry. Until finally, Mattie decided to start a conversation as a way to break the somewhat awkward silence.

"So Nick... How did it feel when you became the first fox on the force?" She asked.

"Oh! It actually felt great!" He answered quickly and excitedly. "You should've seen the types of cases Judy and I solved together! Other than the missing mammals case of course!" Mattie is two years younger than us. I had to keep reminding myself that Nick and I are the same age but I'm three months older than him.

"I heard" Mattie said with a smile. "Mom told me all about them." She then turned to Judy. "Nick isn't giving you a hard during your police work, is he?" She asked.

"Well, sometimes he does" Judy answered with a smile.

"Classic Nick" Mattie said as she rubbed his head. Nick groaned with annoyance.

"Jake, can you help me out?" He asked. I was busy eating dinner and ignored him completely. "Thanks Jake" Nick said sarcastically. After finishing the steak and only a portion of my veggies, I leaned back against the backrest of the booth, completely full. Mattie turned to me, smiling.

"Jake, I remember when you were 10 years old. You were small then! And now look at you, tall as a wolf!"

"I've heard that one before" I said as I took a sip of water.

"Do you still have the abilities of Sherlock Hound?" She asked.

"Still do" I answered. Mattie turned to Carrots.

"Do you like solving cases with Jake?" She asked.

"Yes" she answered. "Yes I do. I even find enjoyment just watching him figuring out what happened just by looking at a trashed room."

"I've seen him do that before" Mattie said with a smile. "Reading all of those those Sherlock Hound books really paid off. Isn't that right Jake?"

"Yep" I answered as I gulped down the last of my water.

"Jake, do you still have the watch I ordered for you from Mr. Tick-Tock?" Mom asked. The badger who owns a clock shop. Very nice guy.

"Yeah but I left it at home" I said.

"Keep it with you at all times please" she said. "Time can be a friend, and an enemy."

"I know" I answered.

"Is it true you and Carrots live in a hotel?" Mattie asked. "Because mom told me about it almost nonstop."

"Yes it is true" I answered. "It's funny because the owner of the hotel came up with an idea of mammals living in his hotel. But of course there are bills to pay, as well as rent... And to be honest, it's working very well. He wants all of the hotel rooms inhabited by mammals. To this day, mammals are making themselves at home."

The hotel isn't luxurious or even high class. But it's still manageable to stay at if you're planning to stay there for a weekend. Yes, mom has stopped by my home a few times. I didn't see what the big deal was anyway. Carrots and I aren't living in a penthouse or a luxurious room. But too be fair, living in a hotel room is pretty pricy.

"Hey Mattie, tell your brothers the good news" mom said. Mattie's eyes lit up. She didn't have to think about which good news mom was referring to.

"Hey Jake, Nick, you won't believe who moved in next door not too long ago" Mattie said with a smile on her face.

"Who?" We asked in unison.

"That whale shark from... Um..." She tapped on the table. "Damn what was that place?" She asked herself. "I think it's Aqua Town...?"

"Ok, I'm going to stop you right there for a moment..." I said as I held a hand up. "Aqua Town?" I asked, facing mom. "That whale shark from Aqua Town moved into the neighborhood? Mom, she's the daughter of an assassin! She even has the skills of one."

Aqua Town is like Zootopia except instead of mammals, it's undersea creatures. And some of them can walk on land. Mostly the sharks. That's the one thing about Aqua Town I will never understand. Aqua Town is so far from Zootopia, going by train isn't even possible. The only way to get to Aqua Town is by boat. And it's a ten hour ride to get there.

As for the whale shark? Her name is Luna because her spots are shaped like crescent moons. And she's the smallest of the other whale sharks. And by small, I mean bigger than me. Given that I'm the same size as a wolf, compare the height difference between a wolf and a polar bear.

"Yes!" Mom said happily. "Aren't you excited? Your whale shark friend actually moved in next door! I'm sure she'll remember you."

"Come on Jake" Carrots said. "It would be nice to see her again. I mean, we did help out her family by proving their innocence after they were accused of brutally murdering a rival gang leader."

"And that was during the time when predators in Zootopia were going savage" I said. "God knows what would've happened if the sharks and other predators in Aqua Town started going savage."

"But that was almost two years ago" Judy said.

"Still a nightmare to think about" I said. Luckily night howlers don't grow in Aqua Town... But the citizens there are familiar with it. I stood up and stretched. "Ok, I'm going to say hello to her" I said.

"Actually, shortly before you arrived, she came by here" Mattie said. "She wanted to wait for you but she was in a rush. She had a meeting with someone at that strip club. Feline Fatale."

The name rang in my ears. Solomon had a card to that strip club. I was planning to go there anyway as part of the investigation. "Did she say who she was meeting?" I asked.

"One of the workers there. Her name is Madeline. I don't know what for." I glanced at Nick, Judy, and Carrots. If I mention that the four of us are in the middle of a murder case, then I don't know how mom will react. And I certainly don't want to worry her. My only chance of getting close to the killer is by asking questions to those who knew Solomon. And I also have to be there to save Madeline. Because she is the epitome of the deadly sin, lust. And she could be the next victim. Then again, Chief Bogo said he and a small squad are taking the case for us... But what if a murder happens and they didn't even know about it? There is one thing I have to do.

Go to the Feline Fatale and investigate there while also trying to prevent a possible murder.

Nick, Judy, and Carrots were looking at the desperate look on my face. "Is something wrong Jake?" Mattie asked.

"I just remembered something" I said. "I need to go to the Feline Fatale."

"What for?" Mom asked. "You're not going there to ogle at the-"

"Mom, it's not like that" I interrupted. I quickly got up and grabbed my keys. "I'll be right back, I promise." I ran out into the garage.

"Ok..." Mom said, still confused about my antics. Nick, Carrots, and Judy knew that I was trying to hide the fact that we're solving a murder case and they knew I didn't want to worry her. And to help me out by not looking suspicious, the three of them decided to stay with mom and Mattie.

They heard the garage door open, and the car engine start. Then after awhile, they heard the garage door close and the car driving down the street.

I hope I'm not too late.


	7. The Feline Fatale

It was a 30-45 minute ride to the Feline Fatale which was on the south side of Savanna Central. This is only one of the very few strip clubs in Zootopia that's open 24/7. I could see flashing neon strobe lights coming from inside the building. There was a line of mammals outside the club. They're in line to buy a card. An ID and a membership card are the only things that you need to have if you want to go in. Since Solomon Cash, the fucking lazy pig is dead, I guess it's safe to say that I own his card now. I pulled the card out of my pocket and looked at it.

It was a dark purple card with a silhouette of a dancing female snow leopard on it. The words Feline Fatale were written in gold letters. I pocketed the card, got out of the car, and locked the doors. I could hear some dance music, though it was muffled behind the doors and walls. I showed a polar bear bouncer the card and my ID. After putting them away, I entered the club.

All members of the cat family of the female gender were either dancers, or waitresses. They all wore bras and panties, and sometimes, during the dances, they would take off their bras and throw them in the audience. But customers would have to pay about $100 if they want to see that happen.

The flashing neon lights weren't the only things glowing. At the bar, the counter and shelves that held the beverages had neon lights that would change color every once in awhile. The music was loud, but not loud enough for customers to shout while talking to someone. But the music could be heard from the outside, though it's muffled. There are four floors in the club. The first floor is where customers watch the strippers dance, the second floor is a restaurant, and the third floor is more of a lounging area. The fourth floor is a private room where customers can pay to get a private dance. All I know is that it's expensive to get a private dance. So expensive that customers would rather be on the first floor.

"Jake?" I heard someone ask. "Jake Wilde?" I turned around and saw a female snow leopard approaching me wearing a purple bra and purple panties. I felt my heart beat rapidly and I also had to control myself from saying the wrong fucking thing.

"Hello Madeline" I greeted.

"What brings you here again?" She asked.

"A regular has been murdered" I said. "Solomon Cash." Madeline began laughing.

"That lazy pig? To tell you the truth Jake, but nobody here liked him. He's rude, disgusting, and has no respect for others."

"True" I added.

"Do you have any leads?" She asked.

"None so far" I answered. "All I know is that there's someone out here in Zootopia targeting mammals that committed one of the seven deadly sins. He already killed a wolf for committing greed, and Solomon for committing sloth. I have a hunch that he's coming here to hunt down a mammal that commits lust." Madeline placed a paw on my shoulder.

"Jake... Relax. This strip club is guarded by bouncers and security guards, there's no way someone suspicious can get in here undetected. Absolutely no way. Even if they did manage to get inside undetected, the bouncers, security guards, and even the cameras would know about it." She does have a point. Bouncers and security guards at every corner of the strip club and security cameras placed strategically around. But the private room doesn't have security cameras. It's called a private room for a reason. "Stay here for awhile, have a drink."

I was tempted to do that, but then again... I could multitask. "Sure" I said. I can enjoy some liquor while focus on my surroundings. Clues tend to appear unexpectedly.

"Oh, my client is waiting for me in the private room. I'll catch you later, ok?"

"Ok" I said as I headed towards the bar. "Oh wait. Is Luna here?" I asked. "I heard she stopped by here."

"Sorry Jake, but she left" Madeline answered. "Don't know where she went. Did you try calling her?"

"Yes" I lied. "She didn't answer her phone."

"Oh... Sorry Jake, I don't know how to help you."

"It's ok" I said as the bartender placed a can of beer in front of me. Madeline waved goodbye and left. She walked towards an elevator in the back of the club. She pressed the up button and waited ten seconds before she heard a ding. The doors slid open and she stepped inside and pressed the 4 button. The doors slid closed and the elevator ascended. She looked out the large glass windows watching the strippers dancing, the waitresses serving food and drinks, and the patrons mingling with each other. She saw me sitting by the bar, drinking my beer. The elevator stopped, the bell dinged, and the doors slid open. The fourth floor was just a narrow hall with a door at the end. She walked down the hall, opened the door and stepped inside.

The private room had red walls, a red velvet carpet decorating the entire floor, there was a mini bar at the side of the room, there was a mini fridge in the corner, and there was a large bed against the wall at the other end of the room. Lying on the bed was a female anthropomorphic whale shark that's about as big as a polar bear and as thin and skinny as me, but a little muscular. Her entire back was blue with white spots, and her front was white. Her spots were shaped like crescent moons, and she had sapphire eyes. Her hands were duct taped behind her back, her feet were taped together, and a thick black cloth was tied over her nose and mouth. Her entire tail was also wrapped in duct tape. She wore a black bra and black panties. The whale shark struggled and moaned as Madeline approached her with a lustful look on her face. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time, Luna" she purred as she ran her paw against Luna's thighs down to the soles of her feet, ignoring Luna's muffled whines. "For a tough daughter of an assassin, you seem very ticklish" she said with a laugh. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

Back on the first floor, I finished my can of beer. The bartender, who was a tiger picked it up and tossed it in the recycling bin. "Can I get you another one pal?" He asked.

"No thanks, I think one is enough" I answered. The bartender shrugged.

"You know two friends of yours came by here looking for you, Jake" he said.

"I have a lot of friends in Zootopia" I said. "Which two?"

"Well one definitely isn't from around here" he answered. "A whale shark by the name of Luna."

"But she left the bar right?" I asked.

"Actually no. She went to talk to Madeline, then the snow leopard took her by her hands, and went to one of the floors above us. Haven't seen Luna since. But did come back down after a while." I was getting suspicious about this.

"And who is the other friend?" I asked. "You said that he wanted to see me also?"

"Yeah. He actually left the strip club shortly before you entered. But he wanted me to give you this." He handed me a small folded sheet of paper before leaving to serve a few patrons drinks. I unfolded the paper and saw a written message.

'I suggest you get to the 4th floor, Jake. And here's a challenge. Who are you going to save? Your friend Luna? Or save the one committing the deadly sin lust? Take your time to think about the answer.'

I pulled out the other two pieces of paper from my pocket that were found on the dead bodies by the workers at the morgue. Obviously the same handwriting and the small sheets of paper were torn from one single piece of paper. Parchment to be exact. Really rare to find one these days. I tried lining them up like a puzzle but I had a problem. There are pieces of parchment paper missing. Not only that, but realization hit me like an oncoming train. There's only one place that I know that has a huge storage of parchment paper... Detective Academy.

"Oh! One other thing" the bartender startled me. I quickly stuffed the pieces of paper in my pocket. "He told me to give you this as well..." He placed a card face down in front of me.

"Did you see what mammal arrived here?" I asked.

"Didn't see his face" he answered. "He wore a cloak, paw, boots, he kept his tail tucked under his cloak and he kept his hood up. Even the flashing neon lights weren't able to shine on his face."

"Thank you for the info" I said, shaking his paw.

"Anytime" he responded, before leaving to serve customers again. I glanced down at the card. The words 'Don't miss the train!' were on the back written in black letters. I turned the card over and I felt a chill run down my spine.

This card is actually a train ticket to get to Detective Academy!

But the problem is this... The train to Detective Academy won't arrive until Monday. I stuffed the card into my wallet with one thought in my mind. How many murders can I prevent in four days? The killer has five targets left before completing his deadly sin murder masterpiece. I got up from my seat and headed towards the elevator. My destination? The 4th floor.


	8. The Third Sin

Back inside the private room, Madeline was straddling Luna. Madeline had placed a collar around her neck and attached a leash to her. She tied the end of the leash to the bedpost. "I have a secret to tell you" she whispered as she lightly stroke Luna's face. "I've been wanting to be near you ever since you walked through those doors" she purred. "Now we can be together." Luna struggled and let out a muffled yell. Madeline laughed as she lightly brushed Luna's feet with her tail. Luna shut her eyes tightly and tried to hold back a laugh. "I just love it when tough girls like you are ticklish" she giggled. Luna continued to struggle and moan into her gag. "Don't worry... I have no interest in leaving you" she whispered. Her tail continued to brush against her feet. Luna struggled and began laughing into her gag. Madeline giggled and hugged her captive while also licking her face. "I love you" she purred, ignoring Luna's struggles, and muffled shouts and yells. She then went down and licked her feet for about a minute, ignoring Luna's muffled complaints. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Madeline groaned in annoyance. "Who could that be at a time like this?" She asked as she got out of bed, cursing under breath. "Why can't it fucking wait?! I'm in the middle of being with my fucking loved one!" The second she opened the door, my fist collided with her face, knocking her out.

"I've been wanting to do that for a really long time bitch" I said. "Think of it as revenge for all the boyfriends and husbands you've made miserable all because you couldn't stop having strong sexual desires with their respective girlfriends and wives." I turned to Luna who was looking at me wide eyed. I closed the door and dragged Madeline to the center of the room. I walked over to Luna and groaned. "Fuck" I whispered. Luna looked at me confused. "Sorry about this" I said. I pulled out my Gazelle Swiss army knife and made a large incision on the duct tape wrapped around her tail. "Luna, I'm apologizing in advance for this." Luna nodded her head.

I began unwrapping the duct tape from her tail. Unsure whether I should do it slowly or quickly, I did a mixture of both. Luna shut her eyes tightly and began struggling and yelling into her gag. Based on the noises she's making, I'm certain that the duct tape was clinging to her tail for a long time. Not only that, I was certain Madeline did this so she won't get hurt when Luna tries to attack her with her tail.

When I removed the last of the duct tape off, I lowered the cloth that was tied over her mouth and nose. I then pulled out something large and black from her mouth. It was a pair of black socks. Luna began breathing in and out after being gagged for too long.

"Jake? What are you doing here?" She asked. She had the same accent as Gazelle.

"Long story" I answered as began cutting the tape that bound her hands. I still found enjoyment after swiping this knife from the huge stash of merchandise from the Greed victim. "Did Madeline hurt you?" I asked as I cut through the tape that bound her feet together.

"No" she answered. "But she did keep me here for almost three hours. She kept tickling my feet and licking them. She also said she really wants to have babies with me." I cringed at the image that popped in my head. Luna laughed softly. "Adoptive children, Jake."

"Thanks for clearing that up" I said. As soon as I finished untying her, Luna sat up and removed the cloth that hung from her neck and threw it aside. I faced the door as Luna began putting her clothes on.

"I'm not naked Jake" she said.

"Yeah but I'm giving you privacy."

"Why not exit the room?" She asked as she put a black shirt on.

"Me coming out of this private room alone? I don't want to look suspicious." Luna put on black shorts and then her shoes. She then grabbed her socks and stuffed them in her pocket. "Ready to go?" I asked, still looking at the door.

"Yes" she answered. She then walked up behind me, ready to leave. But before I could open the door, I heard movement on the other side. I looked around, trying to find a way to hide or at least escape. "What is it?" Luna asked a little worriedly.

"Someone's coming, and we need a place to hide" I said. The doorknob began to turn. "Behind the counter" I said, quickly taking Luna by her hand. We both hid behind the counter just as the door opened.

A male tiger stepped into the room. He wore a black suit, a black tie, black gloves, black socks, and black boots. "Oh my God!" He gasped. He rushed over to Madeline and bent down next to her. He then cradled her head close to his chest. He leaned close to her ear. "My dear Madeline... Why did you have to do that?" He then snapped her neck. The sound was so loud and sickening, Luna and I heard it from behind the counter. Luna opened her mouth to scream, but I quickly placed my hand over it, muffling it.

The tiger's ears perked up and smiled. But instead of going behind the counter where he heard the noise, he reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a large knife. The blade was tightly wrapped in a white with a large amount of bloodstains. He unwrapped the blade and put the towel aside. He then began stabbing Madeline multiple times in the chest.

Behind the counter, I was trying to ignore the sound of the blade puncturing flesh. I could hear Luna breathing heavily through her nose and whimpering behind my hand.

The tiger was finished stabbing Madeline. He began to carve something into the floor with her blood.

Deadly Sin

3/7

He picked up the towel and cleaned the blood off the knife. He wrapped the blade up tightly with the towel and tucked it back into his inner jacket pocket. He had stabbed Madeline about seven times. He stood up and approached the counter. Luna shut her eyes tightly and whimpered into my hand. The tiger stood by the counter and grabbed a small bottle of liquor. He popped the bottle cap out and took a sip from it. He sighed with delight, enjoying the strong alcoholic taste. He then poured the liquor on the counter in a strange motion like he's spelling something.

He placed the bottle aside, reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and a torn piece of parchment paper. He opened the pen with his teeth and began writing something on the torn piece of paper while the cap of the pen is between his teeth. When he was finished, he put the paper aside on a dry spot and closed the pen. After he pocketed it, he pulled out a lighter and wrapped the paper around it. He then tossed it over the counter, hitting me in the head. I had to clench my teeth and prevent myself from making a noise. The tiger smiled, grabbed another bottle of liquor and left the room, closing the door behind him. The bottle he took was larger than the small one he drank from.

I removed my hand from Luna's mouth and helped her up. She cringed at the sight of Madeline's corpse. Luna may have the skills of an assassin, which she picked up from her dad, but the thing is this... The kills they do, are not this extreme. Mainly a single stab wound or gunshot wounds. But multiple stabbings in one place? That's not how they kill.

I shuddered at the countdown written in blood, but that's not what I'm supposed to be consented about at the moment. My main concern, is the clue he left me. I unwrapped the lighter and lit it. I ignited the counter and watched as the flame formed a word.

Lust

I picked up the parchment paper and read the clue he left me.

'Jake... This one deserved to die because not only did she grovel at the feet of the assassin's daughter, but looking back, she did steal many wives and girlfriends from their respective loved ones. My guess is that she couldn't keep her eyes off how pretty they look. Glad that she's dead? You hated her after all. I did you a favor. Smile! Be proud.'

I didn't know whether to feel bad because another victim is killed, or happy because I really hated Madeline to begin with. But I didn't hate her to a point where I wanted her dead. The killer has four more victims to complete his masterpiece. "Let's get out of here" I said, grabbing a jug of water and pouring it on the fire.

"Yeah, we should" Luna said in agreement. The two of us left the room and walked towards the elevator. As we descended, all I could think of was how long until the killer gets to his next victim. Also, why was I given a card that'll get me to Detective Academy? Is there someone waiting for me there? Or maybe there's something this somebody wants me to see. Luckily the train won't arrive until Monday, Gazelle's next concert is on Saturday, but between now and Monday, will he finish off killing the last of the deadly sins?


End file.
